Watch-case spring



(No Model.) I

J. H. FLEMING.

WATCH OASE SPRING.

No. 450,566. I Patented Apr. 14, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. FLEMING, OF NEWVARK, NEWV JERSEY.

WATCH-CASE SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,566, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed December 30, 1890- Serial No. 376,199. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IVatch-Oase Springs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description'of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that class of watch-case springs which have separable or independent supportingbackings curved and otherwise shaped to fit nicely into the watch-case centers, this said invention relating more particularly to improvements in the peculiar backing shown invmy prior patent, No. 420,048. In said prior patent the backings for the fly and lock springs consisted of curved pieces of metal adapted to engage the convex sides of the springs to support the same, each spring having a single support or backing formed rigid and incapable by ordinary hand-pressure of being bent so as to be inserted in the interior groove of the annular watchcase center. Because of the rigidity of the backing it was necessary, in order to insert the backing in the case, to bevel the extremities of the said backing or to reduce the length thereof so that when in position there was a lack of continuity of the backings of the lock and fly-springs, or spaces were formed be tween the extremities of said backings which tended to render the appearances or workmanship imperfect. In the present case the extremities can be brought more closely together to reduce the objectionable spaces and the backing can be inserted with less diflicnlty.

I am aware that the backings have been made in sections connected together by the watch-spring, the latter being riveted or soldered to the backing and thus permanently held thereto. Such a construction is foreign to my invention.

The objects of the improved watch-spring and backing are to secure flexibility of the to the interior walls of the watch-case center to be more easily, quickly, and neatly inserted in the case, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the description of the working parts of the device.

The invention consists in the improved watch-case -spring backing having the construction described and in the arrangements and combinations of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicatecorresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure l is a plan of an open watch-case, parts of the center of which are broken away to show the fly and lock springs lying therein. Fig. 2 shows the spring flexed in the act of being inserted in said case. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line as. Fig. 4 is a detail plan of the spring and backing, and Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same.

In said drawings, a indicates a watclrcase center; I), a fly or look spring adapted to engage the lid or cover of the watch, and c indicates a one-piece backing, which is preferably separably secured to the spring, but which may be permanently secured thereto, as by a rivet or solder. In the preferred construction the spring is provided with a keystone or dovetailed lug d, which projects from the convex side of said spring and enters a notch of a corresponding shape, so that the two parts are firmly held together, but are quickly separated by simply lifting the lug out of the cor respondingly-shaped notch in the backing, as will be understood. The extremity e of the spring is free to slide 011 the concave side of the backing, so that when the latter is bent there will be no binding or buckling when the parts are being placed in position in the case.

To enable the'one-piece backing to be bent or the ends pressed toward one another by the thumb and finger, l have recessed or pro= vided opening f at the rear or oonvexed side of the backing, the concave side remaining without openings, so as to present a smooth bearing for the spring.

To secure a considerable area of flexibility without much expense of time and labor in constructing, I have reduced the thickness of the backing at one end, as at g, and doubled the metal on itself, the bend being at the oxtremity 71 The reduced part 9, and its complement j taken together, is substantially equal in thickness to the unreduced part 7:, and thus the backing from end to end fits neatly and firmly within the center and looseness of parts is prevented, and when handled is a substantially rigid piece.

By carrying on the forming and bending operations with dies or presses, the backings are made rapidly and with perfection, and care, such as is required when the parts are pivoted or riveted together in adjusting, is avoided; but I may undersome circumstances form the slits, openings, or recesses in the backing by other means than by bending or by the use of dies. For example, I may slit the backinglongitudinally, as at I, with a saw, and, furthermore, I may va *y the construction in other respects. The longitudinal opening or slit may extend the whole length of the backing and may be of another piece and be connected to the part 9 by rivets; but ordinarily I prefer to dispense with rivets and pins, soldering, and the like and make the backing of one integral piece.

The backing may be held in the case by the ordinary pin 1') extending through a perforation therein to the center, in any ordinary manner.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The improved watch-case spring herein described,combining with a ily or look spring an independent backing separable from said fly or look spring, and consisting of a curved piece of metal conforming in shape to the watch-case center and partly cut through from the convex side, the parts of said backing having integral connection,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a lock or fly spring of a watch-case, of a backing secured to said lock or flyspring, the said backing being partly cut through and the parts thereof be ing integrally connected at the center, and the said lock or fly springha-ving its extremities opposite that adapted to engage the watch-case lid free to slide on the said backing, substantially as set forth.

The improved watch-case spring herein described, combining, with a fly orlock spring, a backing for said fly or lock spring, having at or toward the center an opening or cut from the convex side and a longitudinal slit continued or extending from said opening, substantially as set forth.

I. The one-piece backing or support for a watehcase fly or lock spring, consisting of a curved piece of metal adapted to be inserted in the watch-ease center, and at one end doubled on itself, and at the convex side of said backing having an opening or separation, whereby the doubled portions may move from one another when the said backing is flexed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of December, 1800.

JAMES H. FLEMINCr.

Witnesses:

OLIvER DRAKE, Oscar, A. MICHEL. 

